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McKinney Reports Fundraising Totals

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) _ Senate Minority Leader John McKinney said Friday his campaign for governor raised $101,000 during the latest fundraising period as a growing field competes to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to qualify for public campaign financing.

The Fairfield Republican said the money raised in the final three months of last year brings his total to $134,167.

Meanwhile, Republican Mark Boughton, the seven-term Danbury mayor, reported a 2013 total in his bid for governor at nearly $130,000, including nearly $40,000 raised during the final three months of last year.

Friday was a quarterly reporting deadline. Others have yet to file.

Both McKinney and Boughton are among the candidates collecting the small contributions necessary to qualify for public campaign financing. Candidates for governor must raise $250,000 in contributions of $100 or less in order to participate in the program. Ultimately, they can receive at least $1.25 million for a primary and $6 million for the general election.

Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti reported raising $1,200 in December as he formed a campaign committee.

A couple of other GOP candidates have exploratory committees, including Tom Foley of Greenwich, a former U.S. ambassador to Ireland and the party’s 2010 candidate, who spent more than $10 million of his own money on the narrow race. Wilton state Sen. Toni Boucher is also considering a run for governor. Boucher raised $37,000 in the latest quarter, bringing her total to $66,659.

Candidates at the exploratory stage can accept contributions up to $375, but only those of up to $100 count toward qualifying for public financing.

Joseph Visconti of West Hartford, who filed paperwork for a candidate committee, raised $805 in the latest quarter.

Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, meanwhile, has yet to announce if he’ll seek a second term.

Jerry Labriola Jr. said this week that he’d like to see the Republican candidates finish raising their qualifying funds by the state party’s convention, scheduled for May 16 and 17 at Mohegan Sun.

“It very much speaks to the credibility of the candidate,” he said. “I find it hard to envision a candidate who has not qualified for the grant by the convention as prevailing over one who has.

“We have to work hard to come together as a party and unifying it at the earliest opportunity will be key,” Labriola added.
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Associated Press writer Susan Haigh contributed to this story.